Elixir of Life
|side-effects=Drinker becomes dependent upon advanced age |characteristics= |time= |difficulty=One of a kind |ingredients= |inventor=Nicolas Flamel (indirectly by inventing the Philosopher's Stone) |manufacturer = The Philosopher's Stone}} The Elixir of Life was a potion procured from the Philosopher's Stone that made the drinker immortal, as long as they consume the potion on a regular basis. Powers The Elixir of Life will make the drinker immortal, so long as they keep drinking it regularly. The Elixir was also able to restore a disembodied but earthbound soul to full life, creating a body. Indeed, Lord Voldemort, surviving due to his Horcruxes planned to steal the Philosopher's Stone to use the Elixir for that purpose, but was thwarted by Harry Potter in 1992. Limitations The Elixir of Life was not infallible. If a person used the Elixir to age beyond their natural lifespan, they will become completely dependent on it, and ceasing its consumption will lead to death. Furthermore, while the Elixir extends one's lifespan, it does not cease one's body from ageing, and if using it to reach an exceptionally advanced age, it will leave them with a decrepit appearance. For example, Nicolas Flamel, who created the Philosopher's Stone, lived for a little over six-hundred and sixty years along with wife Perenelle, but took on a senile and ancient appearance, dying when he and his wife decided to have the Stone destroyed which subsequently depleted their supply of Elixir. In addition, the supply of Elixir can become contaminated, which may either annul the drinker's immortality or outright become poison. Behind the scenes * In the first film, Lord Voldemort claims that unlike Unicorn Blood or the living off another, the Elixir of Life can give him a body; however, in the film, it is not made clear that the Elixir can supply one with a spare body. * On , the image used to illustrate the Elixir of Life for the "Favourites" screen is the same used for Infusion of Wormwood. Whether this is merely a placeholder image or is meant to imply the two are somehow related is unclear. * Voldemort refused to rely on the Elixir of Life for his immortality, as he would be required to drink it for eternity, and the possibility of contamination or the stone's loss would result in his death. His streak of independence made it intolerable for him to rely on the Elixir to survive, and only desired it to recreate his body. * One of the three main goals of alchemy was to create panacea, a remedy that would cure all diseases and prolong life indefinitely. The creation of the Elixir of Life can be considered to be the success of this goal, as the potion extends life if drunk for eternity, and can bring a disembodied soul back to a physical form. * In the Muggle world, many past Muggles, believing themselves to be true alchemists, attempted to create what they believed to be an Elixir of Life. Many of these substances, far from contributing to longevity, were actively toxic, one such that Qin Shi Huang of China died from a large dosage of mercury that he believed to be elixir. See also * Alchemy * Panacea Appearances * * * * * * * * * Notes and references es:Elixir de la Vida fr:Élixir de longue vie it:Elisir di Lunga Vita pl:Eliksir Życia Category:Nicolas Flamel's possessions Category:Philosopher's Stone Category:Potions